WEBDESK: Speaking on Wednesday at an international conference titled “Pakistan’s Fight Against Terrorism: For the World” in Islamabad, Bilawal Bhutto called terrorism a global issue and said Pakistan has made enormous sacrifices, both in lives and resources, in the fight against terror.
“Surrender is not a word in Pakistan’s dictionary,” he declared.
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has said that Pakistan is fighting terrorism with full determination and will never surrender.
He stressed that defeating terrorists is essential to ensure a safe and secure future for the coming generations and reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to eradicating terrorism from its soil.
Reiterating Pakistan’s resolve, he said surrender is not a word in Pakistan’s dictionary.
He vowed that Pakistan would defeat terrorism at all costs to protect its youth and future. Bilawal pointed out that Pakistan has suffered the most in the global war on terror and urged the world community to support Pakistan in this struggle.
Commenting on the role of Afghanistan, Bilawal called on the Afghan interim government to make sure that Afghan soil is not utilised against Pakistan.
He also requested that Afghanistan abide by its part in the Doha Agreement. He advised on the need to avoid pandering to the emotions of the citizens of the two countries and the significance of regional interdependence.
He also referred to his late mother and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, saying she had raised her voice against terrorism in her final speech.
Bilawal reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness to stand shoulder to shoulder with Afghanistan in fighting terrorism.
Praising past military operations, Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad, Bilawal said those operations broke the back of the terrorists rather than surrendering to them. He further noted that modern challenges like digital propaganda now pose new threats that must be addressed.
In addition to supporting justice from Kashmir to Palestine for enduring peace, he emphasised that the international community must now concentrate on this digital front and warned of the growing threat of false information on the internet.
Bilawal also addressed India, saying that the Indian government must recognise that Pakistan itself has been a victim of terrorism.
He urged India to resolve the Kashmir issue according to UN resolutions and engage in dialogue to settle all outstanding disputes. He said India must acknowledge Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terror.
The former foreign minister added that terrorism has severely harmed Pakistan’s economy, resulting in the loss of over 92,000 lives.
He pointed out that after exiting the FATF grey list, Pakistan introduced important economic reforms and emerged as a responsible country actively working against terrorism.
“Pakistan has paid a heavy price, both in human lives and economic losses, in the fight against terrorism,” he stated.
Bilawal reiterated that Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate terrorism remains firm and stressed that the country will never bow down to extremists.
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